Vandopsis gigantea

As an enthusiast I go through periods of time where my focus is devoted to a specific orchid group. Right now I am obsessed with vandaceous orchids. Vandaceous orchids are plants that reside in the Tribe Vandaeae.  So on my journey from orchid site to orchid site reading about all these wonderful specimens I came across this burly beauty! 

Vandopsis gigantea, a native to malay and extending into parts of china. the name alone gives you a pretty good idea what this plant is about. There are stories that some collectors were unable to move their specimens even with assistance of an elephant! It's probably an exaggeration, the stems rarely reach any longer that 12" with a leaf reach of 24" when cultivated. All Vandopsis are epiphytic, and lithophtic.

Gigantea have yellow leaves with brown splotches, and they are fragrant.

They like it warm, 85-90 degrees Ferinheight with humidity around 65-70%. They can be grown bare root in baskets or in bark mix. In the wild they grow pendant, meaning that they grow downwards. So they will need support if you intend on growing them vertically.

Works Cited

Fischer, Jerry. "Orchid Web: Vandopsis Gigantea." Orchids Limited. Web. 02 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidweb.com/detail.aspx?ID=2685>.

"IOSPE PHOTOS." Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia. Web. 02 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidspecies.com/vandopsisgigantea.htm>.

Nationaal Herbarium Nederland. Web. 02 Feb. 2011. <http://www.nationaalherbarium.nl/pubs/orchidweb/genera/Vandopsis/Vandopsis.htm>.

Pridgeon, Alex. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids. Portland, Oregon: Timber, 2006. Print.

"Vandopsis Gigantea Culture." Orchid Culture -- Charles and Margaret Baker. Web. 02 Feb. 2011. <http://www.orchidculture.com/COD/FREE/FS3.html>.